Armed pursuit suspect in custody in North Hollywood

LAPD officers surround a home in the 11500 block of Hartsook Street in Valley Village on Monday, after a man with a rifle led police on a car chase before exiting his vehicle with the rifle and fleeing into the residential neighborhood.
Hans Gutknecht — Staff Photographer

NORTH HOLLYWOOD >> A convicted felon armed with an assault rifle led police on a high-speed pursuit throughout Los Angeles freeways Monday, then scaled rooftops and barricaded himself for hours in North Hollywood before surrendering.

The televised chase and standoff triggered lockdowns at area schools for several hours, with officers leading children out by hand as worried parents flocked to the scene.

No injuries were reported and police were still investigating whether the suspect shot at officers during the chase.

The standoff in the 11500 block of Hartsook Street ended after about two hours when Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officers fired tear gas into the house.

The man, then unarmed, laid face down on a lawn as about seven SWAT officers swarmed him, and then walked him away.

The suspect was later identified as Nolan Perez, 41, of Pacoima. A District Attorney’s complaint filed against him that morning prior to the chase listed three felony convictions from 1997 to 2011 for domestic violence, felon possessing a firearm and discharging a firearm, for which he served prison time.

New charges to be filed against him are expected to include leading police on a pursuit, evading police and possibly assault with a deadly weapon and attempted homicide if it’s determined that he did shoot at police during the chase.

“We believe the suspect did fire rounds at police officers during the pursuit,” Neiman said, noting that if it did occur it would have happened on the 5 Freeway in the Foothill area. He said police were searching for casings.

The incident began about 10:15 a.m. Monday when officers tried to serve a warrant on Perez after the District Attorney filed a complaint listing seven counts of making threats against a woman to cause death or great bodily injury in May and June, based on a complaint investigated by LAPD’s Hollenbeck station.

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When he showed up at a location in Boyle Heights, police met him there and he fled in a red Nissan Altima, leading officers on a high speed chase with his weapon in hand through downtown Los Angeles before heading to the San Fernando Valley, driving into Pacoima and then North Hollywood.

At one point, he was standing on the roof of a house holding the assault rifle, with TV helicopter cameras fixed on him, he stood and paced, then waited and paced some more before eventually climbing down from the roof and barricading himself in the home on Hartsook Street near Colfax Avenue.

Police locked down a four-block perimeter that encompassed Magnolia Boulevard, Otsego Street, Tujunga Avenue to Colfax Avenue and Colfax elementary, Walter Reed Middle, Oakwood elementary and others, as they formulated plans to evacuate students safely. Some of those schools had already ended their terms for the summer, but staff members were still on site.

“Considering he’s armed with a rifle, it’s pretty dangerous,” said LAPD Sgt. Mike Kammert, watch commander of the North Hollywood division, while the incident was still ongoing.

Joseph Gonzalez, 18, who had just picked up his diploma at North Hollywood High School, said he saw the chase on television, while having lunch but didn’t know it would end in his neighborhood. He was walking home when squad cars, helicopters and SWAT raced into the neighborhood.

“It made me so nervous,” he said. “This is such a quiet neighborhood. I’m still shaking from all of this.”

Oakwood School students were escorted out by police officers to North Hollywood Park. Parents met their children at the parking lot on Magnolia east of the 170 Freeway.

Marcia Sewelson was relieved to pick up her son Lucas, 16. “I knew right away he was safe but I’m so sorry this happened,” Sewelson said. “It’s a horrible feeling. It’s like a daily thing with schools being in danger.”